Scared in the storm
by Rose Ronks Tam O'Donoghue
Summary: Sam is terrified of the storm that is raging in Holby. She puts it down to the anniversary of the man she shot in Afgahnastan . Can Tom help her through it or will she fall to pieces? One shot but I might continue if people want!
1. Chapter 1

**An I decided to write this fic as the anniversary is actually tomorrow (July 26) it's sad that i know that ! Please leave a review to tell me what you think. My other fic will be updated soon I am just waiting on one more review or follow or favourite to encourage me that people are still interested. Anyway I'll shut up now! Enjoy!**

The people of Holby awoke to the worst storm in over a decade.

The wind stole the roofs from houses and upturned trees whilst the heavy rain swamped rivers .

Sam Nichols awoke alone in her bed to the first of the roars of thunder. She searched under the covers for a few seconds before she remembered. Tom was staying at his flat as his mum had taken ill. She was going to be fine but he had decided to stay at his as it was closer.

Sam got out of bed and made her way downstairs. BANG!

Sam screamed . She looked out of the window and was greeted with a flash of lightning.

A storm. Oh no.

Sam Nichols only had one fear ,well two.

Storms and the dark.

She turned from the window and made her way to the fridge.

She was in the middle of pouring herself a bowl of cereal when the sky's roared and she jumped causing milk to spill everywhere .

She cursed under breath as she cleaned it up . Why was she so scared of a measly storm?

She used to love them as a kid ,sitting at the highest window she could find and watching the forks and flashes and when she was younger clapping at the big bangs.

However that all changed.

Ever since she came back from Afghanistan storms had been her worst nightmare. Although the more she thought about it ,the more she realised that that wasn't quiet right.

She had been fine when the last storm hit Holby . Working the same as always so why was it so different now?

Perhaps it was due to the nightmares that where keeping her up lately. She knew what they where due to.

Tomorrow it will be the anniversary of Saley Uranga ,the man she killed in Afghanistan. The weeks leading up to it where always hard so the storm reminding her of the day ,the moment, the second she pulled that trigger three times must be the reason for her fear.

She got ready in record time in an attempt to get out of the quiet house and into the ED where she hoped the bangs wouldn't be too loud.

She made her way to the ED managing to drive without an accident even though she jumped with every thunder.

She pulled into the car park and parked as close as she could to the building before grabbing her bag and sprinting inside as fast as she could ,almost forgetting to lock her car .

Sam sprinted into the staff room and slammed the door shut . She got changed quickly before throwing herself on the couch and covering her ears with her hands.

The bangs where a lot quieter in here ,thanks to the deepness of the room and the quiet buzz of noise in reception .

Sam sighed with relief ,at least when the ED got busier she shouldn't be able to hear much of the raging storm.

A sudden loud bang of thunder had Sam curl herself into a ball. She hated how weak and vulnerable this was making her but she just couldn't help but cower.

Every crash reminded her of the life washing out of an innocent father's eyes as she stood and watched helpless and guilty .

She didn't realise she was crying until she felt gentile thumbs rub away the tears . Tom.

He sat down beside her and pulled her into his chest ,stroking her hair and kissing her head.

"Sam?"

She looked up at him with tears still in her eyes but she didn't have to explain anything as a sudden clap of thunder caused her to jump and cling onto the front of Tom's scrub top.

"you're scared of storms?" Tom asked. It was obviously not the time for a joke. The Sam Nichols he knew wasn't scared of anything . He had seen her the last Holby storm and she was absolutely fine. There had to be something else going on.

"Sam what's going on?"

Sam sighed and looked up at him so their eyes met.

"thunder sounds like bullets," she choked out ."Tomorrow is the anniversary of the man that I shot. The storm reminds me of the day.I -I" she gave in and relaxed into Tom's embrace.

"shhh it's okay," he whispered to her," I'm here ."

Sam smiled slightly . She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have he could sit where he was now and hold her tight as curled up against him.

"Sam have you seen someone about this?" he asked, then he remembered who he was talking to ," Stupid question. But you need to talk about this Sam. I had no idea how much this was troubling you."

She sighed," I don't need to talk Tom. This just came at the wrong time . The best thing for me to do now is get out there and work."

Tom nodded," alright but promise me one thing."

He cupped Sam's cheek in his hand and brought her face up to look at him .

"promise me that if you need help you will find me. I'm always here for you . Anytime , anyplace alright ?"

"I promise . I love you Tom,"

She leant in and kissed him. He kissed her back ,pulling her closer.

Suddenly thunder sounded again and in almost perfect timing the doors to the ED where flung open .

They pulled apart and Tom whispered,"I love you too Sam," before taking her hand and leading her out into the now chaotic reception.

The second they where out of the staff room Zoe stormed over to them. By the look in her eyes ,she could be the one controlling the storm.

"Sam,Tom, what have you two been doing? Actually don't answer that ! There has been a major roof collapse at the Holby hotel around the corner. There was no need for medics as everyone got out although we do have a hell load of patents. Both of you resus now and don't dare pull a stunt like this again !"

They both nodded and gave quick apologies before sprinting into resus as fast as the lightning that was shooting across the sky


	2. Chapter 2

**An thank you all soooooo much for the reviews ,follows and favourites ! Do you want something BIG to happen and they get into a life threatening situation ? **

Tess called them over to help with a patient so they ran in her direction.

"this is Susan Brown she has sustained a deep laceration to the side and has been on conscious for over an hour."

Sam ordered around the team whilst Tom got a look at the deep wound to Susan's side.

They worked together for around ten minutes before she was sent of for a CT scan with no longer a hole in her side.

"good job," Tom said placing a hand on Sam's shoulder.

She looked up at him with a smile but Tom could tell by her pupils and the smile itself that Sam was everything but happy and smily.

Suddenly the doors to resus where flung open with a theoretical clap of thunder.

Tom felt Sam tense up beside him as a young boy with breathing difficulties and burns to the arms was raced in.

Never the less ,to her fear ,Sam sprinted over to him and began her examination whilst Jeff filled her in.

Tom stood close to her side and nudged her slightly causing her to look up at him.

"are you alright?"

"completely, fine!" she snapped getting back to work.

"my name is Sam and this is Tom we are going to help you feel a little more comfortable with some medication so a sharp scratch alright?"

The boy nodded and Sam delivered ten milligrams of morphine.

Tom watched ,impressed at how she was coping but hurt at how she had snapped at him.

"we are just going to take a look at your arms ," he told the boy lifting up the bandages around his upper arms.

He was glad to see that they weren't serious,"second degree burns ," he filled Sam in.

She nodded slightly .

"can I have an oxygen mask?" she asked as the boys breathing got worse.

"don't worry," she told him putting on the mask," you will be kicking around a football in no time."

Sam froze. Those where the exact words she had said to Hassan. Saley's son. An innocent boy who's father she had taken away from him.

Tom's voice sounded detached as he shouted ," his breathing is getting worse! He's going under! We need to intubate now!"

It all happened too quickly. Tom demanded Sam's help as she stood routed to the spot. The thunder got louder outside. She could here it so clearly BANG BANG BANG! The smell of burnt flesh and a boy too young to die, too young to lose a dad. Tom was shouting her name over and over but she couldn't move,she couldn't speak. She killed him. She killed an innocent man. She was a murderer. All of a sudden she couldn't breath, she was too hot,the room started to spin.

"Sam get out ! Sam go!"

Zoe pushed past her to help Tom.

She didn't know who shouted it or ,where it came from, was it in her head? Either way she obeyed the voice and she ran out of Resus .

She was too disorientated to know where she was going . Gasping for air she stumbled into the empty staff room and fell to the floor as the world went black.

She couldn't have been out for longer than a few minutes as she slowly opened her eyes. The room was still empty,thankfully ,so she dragged herself to the couch and curled herself into a ball.

The same position she had been in this morning but this time she was alone. Tom was doing what she should be doing now :saving lives. But she didn't deserve to save lives she had ended one .

BANG BANG BANG!

Sam pressed her hands tight over her ears . Her breathing ,which had shallowed once she woke up, sped up like an aeroplane as she once again found herself gasping like a gold fish.

The door to the staff room flew open and Tom ran to his girlfriends side.

"Sam,Sam! Can you hear me ?Sam!" she was lying on conscious on the floor.

Her eyes opened slowly at her boyfriends soft touch and she gazed up at him .

"what happened?" she asked looking around.

BANG!

It all flooded back to her. How she froze in Resus . Nearly killing a patient. Had he died? How she ran out in obedience to a voice. Did she imagine the voice? How she had taken a panic attack and fainted twice.

"I was hoping that you could tell me," Tom said helping her onto the couch and taking her hands in his.

"I -I-, the boy is he alive?"

"he is fine but Sam you didn't answer my question. Did you have a panic attack?"

Sam nodded ," I'm so so sorry Tom. What I said to the boy was the same thing that I said to Hassan. The man I killed's son. The smell of burned flesh and the thunder ,it all became too much. I couldn't breath. Who told me to leave?"

"I did Sam I whispered for you to leave as Zoe came over."

Sam shook her head" someone shouted at me to leave ."

"no ,Sam . But what happened when you came in here?"

"I -I fainted twice," she said honestly, hanging her head in shame.

"I'm going to check you over. " he informed her ,as he knew she wouldn't let anyone else," but first ,come here," He pulled her towards him and held her close,stroking her hair.

Sam pulled away after a few minutes,"I'm a murderer Tom. I don't deserve this-"

"what!"he interrupted ,"Sam you are not a murderer! It was war ! The circumstances where completely different . If you hadn't pulled the trigger and that had been a bomb then what would it have been like then? I would have lost you and so many more people would have lost loved ones that meant the world to them as well. It was a mistake and no one blames you for it. So stop blaming yourself and let me look after you this one time, in return for all of the times you have helped me."

Tom reached towards her again and Sam looked up at him . The smallest of smiles graced her lips as she moved into his open arms.

He held her tight, never wanting to let her go again.

"Tom ," Sam whispered looking into his blue eyes ,"thank you,"

Tom replied with a passionate kiss to Sam's lips .


	3. Chapter 3

**An this chap is for the person that informed novel joy about me thank you so much! I'm buzzing with Salt idolising so I thought I would update! Please review !**

"come on I need to check you over," Tom said ,taking Sam's hand and leading her out of the staff room and towards cubicles.

Sam grumbled slightly in reply .

They looked about ,checking that no one was watching before sliding into an empty cubicle .

Sam sat on the bed and looked up at him with her arms crossed.

"so miss Nichols what symptoms have you been feeling?" Tom said sarcastically .

"Tom I'm just scared," she whispered.

"well I can fix that problem first." Tom sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder,"As my mum used to say it's just the angels moving their furniture,"

Sam smiled at him and he squeezed her shoulder "so symptoms ?"

Sam shook her head, she wasn't going to sound any weaker than she had to.

"Sam please I'm worried about you,

Sam gave in at his puppy dog eyes," fine. Nausea ,sleep deprivation ,panic attacks and fainting."

She hung her head in shame .

Tom pushed her chin up with his finger," well take some diazepam and if it gets worse tell me,okay?"

Sam nodded.

"did you hurt yourself when you fainted?" Tom asked holding her at arms length.

"no, are we finished ?"

BANG !CRASH!

Sam grabbed Tom's hand in fright as the lights all turned off.

The darkness from the storm meant that they didn't even have the aid of sunlight to help them see. As a result they where perished in darkness.

"Sam are you okay?"

BANG!

Sam couldn't get enough oxygen into her lungs . She tried and tried to get a breath but she couldn't .

"Sam !" Tom cried pulling her towards him. He looked straight into her eyes and despite the situation they both began to get lost in a sea of blue. Sam's breathing started to slow ,she was so glad that despite the darkness they could still see each other .

The lights came back on but they where oblivious to the world around them .

A sudden crash of thunder brought them back to sense along with screams of terror.

Tom pulled Sam to him and shielded her behind him as he opened the curtain slightly.

He gasped at what he saw ,immediately turning to Sam.

" Sam we need to get out of here! I need you take take some deep breaths for me okay ?"

Sam gasped and took in a few gulps of air ,enough for her to utter the words ," Tom what's going on?"

He pulled open the curtain and started to run ,pulling Sam with him.

It was obvious what was happening as smoke poured out of resus.

"Tom we need to help people!"

The determination of Sam's voice had him stop in his tracks . How quickly she had overcome her fear in an attempt to help others.

He looked around and noticed an elderly man on the floor , a young man with a broken leg unable to leave his bed and since most of the curtains to the cubicles where shut possibly more people unable to get to safety.

He nodded,covering his mouth with his hand ,and picking up an old man who had fell .

He reluctantly let go of Sam's hand and watched as she ran to a man with a broken leg and gave him crutches.

The man staggered to the exit whilst Sam ran through the cubicles pulling them open and checking for more people.

"Sam I'm going to the exit you better be out in less than thirty seconds after me okay!"

"fine !" Sam shouted back she pulled open the last curtain to find a small girl.

She looked around six and had a broken arm and badly cut leg. Sam had no idea how no one had helped her ," I'm Sam, " she introduced ," and I'm going to get you out but I'll need to carry you is that alright?" the girl nodded and Sam scooped her up and ran towards the exit.

She got to the door and satasfied that everyone was out made her way to run outside .

Tom was standing outside pushing people away and trying to come back inside.

Tom looked up at her and their eyes met. A few more steps and she would be safe.

BANG


	4. Chapter 4

**An I think this is the final chapter. Thank you so much for your support. The reviews really make me smile and encourage me to continue writing. I would love to hear what you think in the reviews.**

The roof collapsed in front of her. Sam jumped back , careful of the six year old in her arms .

She lay on the floor , covering her protectively and quickly looked around.

The beams to the door had collapsed but apart from that most of the building was still standing. The fire was safely contained in Resus too so Sam picked the girl up again .

Staying silent (saving oxygen), she ran through the department in search of another exit.

Tom ran outside . He managed to support the man until the tents ,that had been put up ,where he placed him on a bed .

Staff ran around him but he couldn't even tell who they where as he pushed them out of the way and ran towards the building .

They followed like a swarm of flys and continued to surround him. Again he pushed them away. He had to save his Sam. She had to be safe.

He looked into the bulding as she came running out she met his eyes.

Suddenly the doorway colapsed and he shouted in horror . He tried to get inside to save his girlfriend but no one would let him.

They pulled him back to the tent and started checking him over but he wasn't paying any attention . Sam. Sam . Sam.

Sam felt the girl in her arms shake with sobs.

"It's alright , we're going to get out , trust me."

Sam ran to a known fire exit and pushed the bar open. She ran down the steps and round to the front of the building .

She pulled open the tent, she saw Tom. The world went black.

Tom ran towards her as Zoe picked up a little girl that was in her arms. He fell to the floor at her side and picked Sam up. Holding her close he lay her down on the bed and picked up her hand.

"Sam can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me,"

Tom felt a slight squeeze," that's it well done. Open your eyes for me sweetheart?"

Sam's POV

I can see black all black. All of my senses have gone I can't control anything. My smell comes back first. Smoke, and lots of it . Then my sense of touch. I can feel myself being lifted and I recognise Tom's smell. He puts me on a bed and my hearing starts to come back. I can hear his soft voice as he asks me to squeeze his hand. I do my best but I didn't think I had succeeded but Tom tells me that I have . He asks me to open my eyes and I try, I really try but I can't. He asks again and I feel his lips on my hand. I use this as will power to force my eyes open.

He smiles down at me causing my heart to flip ," hey sweetheart , how do you feel?"

"sore throat and chest as to be expected ," I grumble ," how's the girl?"

"oh she's fine you saved her life Sam," he looks at me with pride but I can see the worry still in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Tom,"

"don't be I'm just glad your safe," he kissed my head and I smiled at him.

"my hero," he whispered in my ear before kissing my cheek.


End file.
